Code signal display apparatus



De@ 14, 1943. J, J. cRoss CODE SIGNAL DISPLAY APPARATUS Patented Dec.14, 1943 8 Claims.

This invention relates to visible signal display apparatus and moreparticularly to such as are adapted to exhibit flags bearing codes.

The necessity of rshowing such devices has long been recognized; infact, is embodied in international code signals.

rllliey are usually disp-layed upon buntings and i'lags of diiierentshapes, made of textile fabric, which, upon subjection to strong windsor gales, rapidly destroyed; further, if supported by a pole, are proneto wrap themselves therearound thereby becoming undecipherable.

It is, therefore, an object of the i vention to provide signal flagsmade of strong material, reenforced at their ends to withstand wind andsecured at each of their four corners in a substantial manner.

A further feature is in the provision of flag supports which effectivelymaintain the ags, at all times, fully exposed and to which they may beattached or detached easily and quickly.

Another purpose to provide an upright support that can be adjusted intodifferent radial positions whereby the fiags can be seen from diierentlocations.

These and other advantageous objects are acc '"plished by the novel andpractical construcn, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing constituting agraphical cornponent of this disclosure, and in which:

l, is a side elevational view of a complete i ouiment of the inventionshowing its use, l.' g. 2 is a plan View showing the device in fulllines and in another position by broken lines,

Fig. 3 is a iront view of one of the flags, drawn to an enlarged scaleto show the construction, and

Fig. l is a sectional view taken on line ll-li of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the several views, the numeral l5 designates ingeneral a raised platform, such for instance as the deck of a ship, inwhich is rigidly set an upright standard l5 having at its upper end anenlarged terminal l1.

A collar I8 is rotatably mounted on the sta-ndard, below theenlargement, the collar being provided with a rigid arm or spar ISextending at a right angle.

On the outer portion of the arm i9 is a T- shaped fitting 253, itsraised central member engaged with a strut 2l having its oppostie endengaged with a clevis 22 reaching outwardly from a band 23 suited torotate on the upright above the enlargement ll.

Fixed to the extreme outer end of the arm I9 are two divergent guys2G-25, which may be rods, ropes or wires, tensioned and attached attheir lower ends respectively to eyes 26-27, set in the decl: l5. If thedisplay is to be made at a right angle to that shown, the guys will beconnected to eyes 26-2l' as indicated in Fig. 2. Other pairs of eyes253-29 and 28-29, arranged at suitable distances apart, and from thestandard l5, receive the lower ends of tensional elements 3d, connectinga pair of spaced stays or guide rods 3i, attached at their upper ends tolugs formed with rings 32 carried by the arm l5.

These stays di may be rigid or flexible, as preferred, and act toreceive pairs of snap hooks 33 in a manner to admit them to be slidablyadjusted therealong at the will of an operator.

As shown in Fig. l, three code signal flags are indicated, but anynumber can be displayed.

Each iiag 34 is preferably composed of an exceedingly strong wovenabric, bearing on one or both sides such insignia as is desired toappear; they are ordinarily elongated rectangles and usually Similar insize.

The ends of the materia-l is turned over in the manner of a wide hem 35,secured by stitching to the face of the fabric, providing a mosteffective reenforcement.

At each of the four corners of the flag are set grommets 35, passingthrough the nap reenforceinents in a manner to further strengthen theflag, and to receive the hook ends of the snap hooks retaining the iiagequally distanced between the guide rods 3l.

The grommets in the corners of the upper ilag are also adapted toreceive the ends of a` pair of cords 3l trained over pulleys 33supported on the arm i9, and guided by other pulleys 3Q on the standard,to extend into a position convenient for operation.

The foregoing applies to the uppermost flag, to which the others areconnected in desired spaced, sequential relation by lanyards or the likede engaging in the adjacent grommets at each end of the flags.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a superior type of flag hasbeen disclosed made of strong material reinforced at its ends towithstand wind and secured at each of its four corners, together with anovel and highly practical nanner of mounting.

The ags may be readily removed and others substituted in any easy, safeand rapid manner, and they cannot wrap around the pole or standard, butare invariably disposed to full view in a taut condition.

By reason of changing the angle of the display, relative to the axis ofthe standard, the flags vwill be visible to a greater extent than hashitherto been common.

Although the foregoing is broadly descriptive of the best knownembodiment of the invention, it is to be understood as suggestive,rather than restrictive, and that modifications may be made Within thescope and tenor rof, the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what Il Y claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Pat- Y Y ent is: Y

1. An apparatus for displaying flags comprising a base, an upright polefixed thereon, any,

arm rotatably mounted on the upper portion of Y said pole, means toretain said arm horizontally,

, ing in'divergent transverse directionsV from the free end of said armto said base, a pair of guides arranged in spaced parallel relationbetween said arm and base, and one or more flags detachably engaged ateach of their four corners with said guides.4

3. VIn combination with an upright pole mounted on a platform, ahorizontal arm rotatably engaged on the upper portion of said pole, aguy member extending between the top of said pole and outer endof saidarm, a pair of stress mem- -ers secured to the outer end of the arm anddivergently inclined at right angles to the arm, eyes fixed in saidplatform to which the lower ends of vsaid stress members are secured, asecond set of eyes on said platform for the stress members when said armis in another radial position with reference to said pole, guideelements attached in spaced parallel relation to said arm, means tosecure the lower ends of said guide elements to said platform in thevertical plane of the arm, snap hooks slidable on said guide elements,one or more signal flags engageable at their corners Vby said snaphooks, Va pair Y of sheaves supported by said arm, and ropes connectedwith the upper corners of the topmost ag trained over said sheavestoextend to said platform whereby the ag may be manually raised andlowered.

4. In combination with a platform having an arm turnably supported andpositioned thereabove and having means to retain said arm in apredetermined radial position, a series of signal flags having grommetsin each of their four corners, flexible spacing means connecting saidflags one above another, a pair of upright guide members fixed at theirrespective ends to said arm and platform, snap hooks slidable on saidmembers removably engageable with said grommets, and means for raisingand lowering said flags operable from said platform.

5. A code signal apparatus for the display of a series of code signalflags, said apparatus comprising a standard adapted to be mounted on abase and an arm on said standard, a pair of upright guide membersadapted to be fixed to said arm and to be secured to said base,fasteners slidable on said members and adapted to engage the signalflags to be displayed to slidably position the flags on the uprightguide members, and supporting means carried by said arm and-engagingsaid flags to raise and lower said flags manually.

l6. A code signal apparatus for the display of a code signal flag, saidapparatus comprising a standard vadapted to be mounted cn a base and anarm on said standard, a pair of upright guide members adapted to befixed to said arm and to be secured to said base, fasteners slidable onsaid members and adapted to engage the signal flag to be displayed toslidably position the flag on the upright guide members, and meanscarried by said arm to raise and lower said flag manually.

7. A code signal apparatus for the display of a series of code signalags, said apparatus comprising a standard adapted to be mounted on abase and an arm on said standard, a pair of upright. guide membersadapted to be fixed to said arm and to be secured to said base inspaced, parallel relation, fasteners slidable on said members andadapted to engage the signal flags to be displayed to slidably positionthe flags on the upright guide members, and means carried by said arm toraise and lower said flags manually.

` 8. In a display apparatus for signal flags, an upright standardadapted to be secured to a base, an arm rotatably mounted on the upperend of the standard, guys adapted to be secured to the free end of saidarm and to the base and flag guides arranged in parallel relation onsaid arm and base, perpendicular to said arm and base.

JAMES J. CROSS.

